5 Common Causes of Blocked Drains and How to Prevent Them

Blocked drains can be a nuisance that could cause disruption to your daily life. They can cause flooding, bad smells, and even health risks. If not promptly dealt with, blocked drains can cause serious problems in the plumbing system, leading to expensive fixes or replacings.
Key Takeaways
- The blockage of drains can affect your routine and can lead to water damage, bad smells, and even health issues.
- Fat, oil and grease buildup can accumulate on the pipes’ walls causing blockages. Do not pour grease down the drain, or use hot water and soap for cleaning dishes.
- Tree roots naturally extend themselves into the earth to seek nutrients which may cause significant damages and blockages to pipes and cause flooding. It is important to regularly maintain trees near drainage systems by pruning them.
- Flushing non-biodegradable items like wet toiletries, wipes, etc. can cause unpleasant smells that can be detected around bins and toilets; make sure to flush toilet paper down the drain.
- Hair
In this article, we’ll examine five of the most common causes of blocked drains and ways to prevent them from happening.
Cause 1. Grease, Oil and fat buildup
Fat, grease, and oil may appear like harmless materials to dump down the drain but as time passes, they build up on the walls of pipes, creating obstruction. When this occurs it is impossible for water to move freely through the drainpipes. The solution is to avoid throwing grease down the drain or use soap and hot water when cleaning dishes because it assists to break down greasy substances.
Cause 2. Tree Roots
In time, the tree roots naturally extend their roots into the earth searching for nutrients which leads to them expanding toward underground pipes. Once they’re inside, the trees roots can cause a lot of damage and may completely block them, leading to flooding. Therefore, it is essential that if have trees around that you maintain their growth around drainage systems by pruning them regularly.
Cause 3: Flushed items
It’s easy to assume that flushing items that aren’t biodegradable like the wet wipes, sanitary towel etc. aren’t likely to cause major issues in the long term, However, if a large amount of these items are flushed into toilets, they can accumulate pushing others aside in the way of pipes. This could cause a bad smell to be released around the toilets and bins too! Be aware of what needs to be flushed, and what shouldn’t (i. that only toilet papers should be flushed out).
Cause 4 Hair
Additional Information
- Why Regular Drain Cleaning Should Be Part of Your Home Maintenance Routine
- Why CCTV Drain Inspection is a Cost-Effective Solution for Your Plumbing Needs
- Drain Maintenance 101: A Decade of Simple Methods to Prevent Clogs in Your Home
- High Pressure Drain Cleaning: The Key to a Robust Plumbing System
- Easy and Safe Ways to Get Rid of a Stubborn Shower Drain Blockage
- What to Know about Pipe Relining Services for Blocked Drains
- CCTV Drain Inspection: Find Out How it Helps Pinpoint Root Infiltration in Your Pipes
- CCTV Drain Inspection: The Key to Resolving Blocked Drains Quickly
- Uncovering the Root Causes of Blocked Drains
- Put an End to Clogged Drains Now: Expert Tips to Experiment with Today